Jacket girls, Bulldog boys look to repeat

ELLENBORO – The girls from Williamstown will look to make it three-in-a-row while the Bulldogs from Doddridge County will try to avoid getting knocked off by the host Rebels from Ritchie County when the annual Little Kanawha Conference Track and Field Championships get under way at Ritchie County High School this afternoon.

Zach Hall’s Yellowjackets have been, for the most part, dominant this spring and are coming off an impressive victory over Class AAA Cabell Midland, Parkersburg South and Parkersburg at the Erickson/Camden Clark Invitational last Friday.

Looking to end the maroon and gold’s two-year stranglehold on the title will be Craig Kellar’s Bulldogs-fresh off of a victory in the Class A division of the Gazette Relays last weekend-who dominated the league’s title from 1994 until 2005.

Chidester captured the 100 (12.96), 200 (26.55) and 400 (59.49) meter dashes while Postlewaite (10-6) took home first place in the pole vault. Swiger finished first in the 300 meter low hurdles (47.34) and placed second in the high jump (5-2) and long jump (16-6.25)-to Ferguson, who jumped 16-feet, 8.75-inches.

Ferguson also captured the 100 meter high hurdles (15.73).

All those individuals, however, will have to play second fiddle to St. Marys senior Maggie Drazba as the WVU-bound runner will look to close the book on one of the most successful careers in LKC history.

The Blue Devil standout, who tied Chidester for high point honors a year ago with 32.5 points, broke the 800 (2:19.83) and 3200 (10:27.42) marks last spring and will look to lower the meet mark of 5 minutes, 17.4 seconds set by Roane County’s Stephanie Hardman in 2001.

But as talented as the girls division may be, it pales in comparison to the boys division as both Doddridge County, which slipped past Ritchie County by a 124-97 margin a year ago, and the Rebels are coming off of state championship seasons in 2012.

Bobby Burnside’s Bulldogs also return the LKC’s top two scorers from last season-seniors Dillon Muhly-Alexander and Daniel Plaugher.

Plaugher proved to be too much for the rest of the field in the 110 meter high (15.53) and 300 meter intermediate (39.98) hurdles while Muhly-Alexander will look to improve his second place performances in the 110 meter high hurdles (16.08), high jump (6-2), and long jump (20-10.75).

Don’t think for a second, however, that Rick Haught’s Rebels are without some talented individuals of their own. Especially with the return of all-LKC performers Jessie Hilvers and Johnny Hogue.

Hilvers finished second in the 300 meter intermediate hurdles (41.1), third in the 800 meter run (2:07.81) and fourth in the 400 meter dash (52.64) while Hogue placed second in the 3200 meter run (10:02.06) and third in the 1600 (4:47.78).

The top 14 scorers, as well as any athlete that sets a new meet mark, earn all-LKC honors and will be honored at the league’s spring banquet along with the team champions crowned on Friday.